Capacitors, Capacitance and Dielectrics

Capacitors with Dielectrics

A dielectric is a nonconducting material that, when placed between the plates of

a capacitor, increases the capacitance.
§ Dielectrics include rubber, glass, and waxed paper
With a dielectric, the capacitance becomes C = κCo.
§ The capacitance increases by the factor κ when the dielectric completely fills
the region between the plates.
§ κ is the dielectric constant of the material.
If the capacitor remains connected to a battery, the voltage across the capacitor
necessarily remains the same.
If the capacitor is disconnected from the battery, the capacitor is an isolated
system and the charge remains the same.
Dielectrics, cont
For a parallel-plate capacitor, C = κ (εoA) / d
In theory, d could be made very small to create a very large capacitance.
In practice, there is a limit to d.
§ d is limited by the electric discharge that could occur though the dielectric
medium separating the plates.
For a given d, the maximum voltage that can be applied to a capacitor without
causing a discharge depends on the dielectric strength of the material.
Dielectrics, final
Dielectrics provide the following advantages:
§ Increase in capacitance
§ Increase the maximum operating voltage
§ Possible mechanical support between the plates
§ This allows the plates to be close together without touching.
§ This decreases d and increases C.
Dielectric constant (er)

It is the ratio of the absolute permittivity of the medium (e) and permittivity of free
space (e0).
It is a measure of polarization in the dielectrics.

Dielectric constant = Absolute Permittivity (e)/ Permittivity of free space (e0)

er = e / e0

It is also known as relative permittivity.

It is unitless (since both e and e0 have units of Fm-1)
The value of er = 1 for air or vacuum
Some Dielectric Constants and Dielectric Strengths
Sample Problem 1

Find the capacitance of a layer of Al2O3 that is 0.5 m thick and 2000 m2 area.
(Permitivity of free space, e0 = 8.854 x 10-12; Relative permittivity; er = 1)
Sample Problem 2
Types of Capacitors – Tubular

Metallic foil may be interlaced with thin

sheets of paraffin-impregnated paper or
Mylar.
The layers are rolled into a cylinder to
form a small package for the capacitor.
Types of Capacitors – Oil Filled

Common for high-voltage capacitors

A number of interwoven metallic plates
are immersed in silicon oil.
Types of Capacitors – Electrolytic

Used to store large amounts of charge

at relatively low voltages
The electrolyte is a solution that
conducts electricity by virtue of motion
of ions contained in the solution.
When a voltage is applied between the
foil and the electrolyte, a thin layer of
metal oxide is formed on the foil.
This layer serves as a dielectric.
Large values of capacitance can be
obtained because the dielectric layer is
very thin and the plate separation is
very small.
Types of Capacitors – Variable

Variable capacitors consist of two

interwoven sets of metallic plates.
One plate is fixed and the other is
movable.
Contain air as the dielectric
These capacitors generally vary
between 10 and 500 pF.
Used in radio tuning circuits
Polar vs. Nonpolar Molecules

Molecules are said to be polarized when a separation exists between the

average position of the negative charges and the average position of the positive
charges.
Polar molecules are those in which this condition is always present.
Molecules without a permanent polarization are called nonpolar molecules.
Water Molecules
A water molecule is an example of a
polar molecule.
The center of the negative charge is
near the center of the oxygen atom.
The x is the center of the positive
charge distribution.
Polar Molecules and Dipoles

The average positions of the positive and negative charges act as point charges.
Therefore, polar molecules can be modeled as electric dipoles.
Induced Polarization

A linear symmetric molecule has no

permanent polarization (a).
Polarization can be induced by placing
the molecule in an electric field (b).
Induced polarization is the effect that
predominates in most materials used as
dielectrics in capacitors.
Dielectrics – An Atomic View

The molecules that make up the

dielectric are modeled as dipoles.
The molecules are randomly oriented in
the absence of an electric field.
Dielectrics – An Atomic View, 2

An external electric field is applied.

This produces a torque on the
molecules.
The molecules partially align with the
electric field.
§ The degree of alignment depends
on temperature and the magnitude
of the field.
§ In general, the alignment increases with
decreasing temperature and with
increasing electric field.
Dielectrics – An Atomic View, 4

If the molecules of the dielectric are nonpolar molecules, the electric field
produces some charge separation.
This produces an induced dipole moment.
The effect is then the same as if the molecules were polar.
Dielectrics – An Atomic View, final

An external field can polarize the

dielectric whether the molecules are
polar or nonpolar.
The charged edges of the dielectric act
as a second pair of plates producing an
induced electric field in the direction
opposite the original electric field.
Induced Charge and Field

The electric field due to the plates is

directed to the right and it polarizes the
dielectric.
The net effect on the dielectric is an
induced surface charge that results in
an induced electric field.
If the dielectric were replaced with a
conductor, the net field between the
plates would be zero.
Polarization

The process of producing electrical dipoles inside the dielectric by the application
of an external electrical field.

Polarizability (⍺)
It is found that the average dipole moment (µ) of a system is proportional to the
applied electrical field (E)
i.e. µ a E; µ = a E
Thus, ⍺ = µ / E
From this, polarizability is defined as the ratio of the average dipole moment to
the applied electric field.
The unit is farad m2 or Fm2
Polarization vector (P)
It is defined as the average dipole moment per unit volume of a dielectric.
If N is the number of atoms per unit volume and µ is the average dipole moment
per atom, then
P=Nµ
The unit is coulomb/m2
Electric Displacement Vector (D)
Used for analyzing electrostatic fields in the presence of dielectrics
Sample Problem 1

Find the capacitance of a layer of Al2O3 that is 0.5 m thick and 2000 m2 area.
(Permitivity of free space, e0 = 8.854 x 10-12; Relative permittivity; er = 1)
Sample Problem 2

Calculate the electronic polarization of argon atom. Given at r = 1.0024 at NTP

and N = 2.7 x 1025 atoms m-3.
Sample Problem 3

Calculate the polarization of a certain substance if the dielectric constant is equal

to 6 and the electric field is 100 V/m.
Sample Problem 4

Determine the electronic polarizability of the neon atom when radius is 0.158 nm.
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